Treating apparatus



Nov. 2, 1937. w. w. SIBSON, JR

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Nov. 2, 1937. w. w. SIBSON. JR 8,

TREATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGZ- INVENTOR:

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WIZZMIWSZDSWL J Nov. 2, W37. w. w. slBsoN. JR 2,093,066

TREATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 19:55 4 Sheets-Sheet s INi ENTOR:mlmrwfiibsoml TTORNEYS.

Nov. 2, 1937. w. w. SIBSON, JR 2,098,065

TREATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 2,1937 UNITED STATES TREATING APPARATUS -Walter W. Sibson, Jr.,Philadelphia, Pa., assignor 'to The Philadelphia Drying Machinery Com-Dany, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Pa., ,a corporation of ApplicationAugust 19, 1935, Serial No. 36,818

4 Claims.

The present application .in part of application #28,438 filed by me onJune 26, 1935.

My invention relates to apparatus for treating or processing goods suchas textile materials and fabrics, clothing, and other objects withliquids and/or gases. In'suitable forms of embodiment such as hereinshown and described, the invention enables a variety of operationsincident 'to such treating or processing to be carried out conveniently,expeditiously, and economically. Other features and advantages of theinvention will appear from the followingdescription of species thereof,and from the drawings. So far as novel over the art, indeed, all theieatures here shown or described are of my invention.

In the drawings, Fig. I is a side elevation of a treating apparatusembodying my invention.

Fig. II shows a longitudinal vertical section through the treatingapparatus.

Fig. lII shows a section through the treating apparatus at right anglesto Fig. II, taken as indicated by the line and arrows III-Il1 in Fig.II.

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. II, but more diagrammatic and on asmaller scale, illustrating a variant of the treating apparatus.

Figs. V and VI are diagrammatic longitudinal and transverse sectionalviews similar to Figs. II and Ill, illustrating another variation of thetreating apparatus.

Figs. VII and VIII are diagrammatic longitudinal and transversesectional views illustrating yet another variation of the treatingapparatus.

The treating apparatus 9 here shown (see espe cially Fig. I) has aclosed casing ID that serves to confine liquid or gas (such'as solventor air) with which the materials or objects are treated or processed.Within the casing H) is a revoluble 4U foraminous drum H to contain thematerials while being treated. Drum N has axis or trunnion means |2mounted to turn in bearings l3, which are carried by the end uprightsl4, M of the machine frame and base structure IS. The 45 frame I5 mayalso include uprights 6 for supporting the casing Ill. The drum I I maybe driven by an electric motor I! mounted on the frame l5, throughsuitable gearing here diagrammatically represented at l8. Thedrivingmeans 50 H, |8 may include provisions for rotating the drum II atrelatively slow speed to treat the materials with liquid, andat a higherspeed to centrifuge the materials, or while otherwise drying them.Preferably the drum revolves in opposite directions alternately when atslow speed,

is a continuation like that of a laundry washer: one way of doing thisis to reverse the motor H at shortintervals. The gearing I8 is hererepresented as including a counter'shaft 2| driven from the motor shaftthrough reduction gears 22, 23. Fast onthe drum axis or shaft 2 aregears 24, that mesh with gears 26, 21 on the countershaft 2|, to whichthey may be alternatively connected by suitable means controlled bythrowing a handle 28 one way or the other from its mid-position shown inFig. I. When'the gear 26 is connected to countershaft 2|,the drum II isdriven at relatively low speed; when the gear 21 is connected to saidshaft 2|, the drum is driven at much higher speed; and when neither gearis connected to said shaft 2|, the drum l| remains at rest, as fordischarging work and recharging with other work.

Treating liquid may be conducted to the apparatus 9 through a valvedpipe 34, and withdrawn through another valved pipe 35. If desired oradvantageous for certain treatments, the liquid may be circulated byconnecting the pipes 34 and 35 to a suitable pump (not shown).

For passing air or other treating gas through the apparatus, there is asupply conduit 31 delivering into one end of the casing l0 around theaxis l2, and exhaust conduits shown as opening laterally from the top ofthe said casing. The air or gas may be circulated by a blower (notshown) in circuit with the conduits 31 and 40, or it' may be exhaustedfrom the casing l0 through said conduits 40.

- As shown in Figs. 11 and III, the casing l0 and drum II arecylindrical in form, and of sheet metal construction,though of courseneither of these features is essential. The peripheral wall of the drumH is shown as foraminous, consisting of sheet metal (such as aluminum)pierced with a multitude of small holes; while its end walls (except ashereinafter otherwise mentioned) are solid. Through the midst of thedrum extends a foraminous longitudinal air or gas trunk or conduit 60,here shown as of polygonal (triangular) cross section, bounded'bymultiapertured sheet metal sides or septa 6|. In. the present instance,the corners of the polygonal trunk 60 are attached or connected to thewall of the drum II by outward extensions 62 of the foraminous trunksides 6|, which are flanged and riveted to the drum wall at 63. Thus thegoods space in the drum Ii around the trunk 6|] is divided'into aplurality of pockets for the materials or articles. Where the workpockets directly adjoin one another, they are separated by thedouble-walled or hollow septa 62. whose outer ends are attached to theouter wall II as already described. These pockets may be loaded oremptied in any convenient manner, as through hinged doors 65 at one endof the drum ll, adapted to be brought into coincidence (as shown in Fig.II) with a corresponding hinged door 66 at the end of the casing i0. Asshown, the doors 65, 65

are hinged at their inner sides or edges adjacent the axis l2, so thatcentrifugal force tendsto hold the doors 65 shut when the apparatus isin operation. In addition, any suitable securing means 61 may beprovided for positively securing the doors 65. Suitable provision may bemade for sealing fluid-tight the openings in the end of the casing l andin the wall of the conduit 31 through which the shaft l2 extends, as bymeans of stuffing boxes indicated at 68, 69 in Figs. I and II.

In the apparatus here shown, the air or gas is supplied to the centralair trunk Bll'from one end, through the conduit 31 extending and openinginto the interior of the casing l0 through its end wall opposite thedoors 65, 66. Accordingly, the corresponding end structure of the drum Hincludes an open polygonal angle frame 10, including a spider II withhub 12 mounted and secured on the shaft I? in any suitable way, as by aset screw 13. The ends of the walls Bl of the trunk 60 are secured (asby riveting) to flanges of the side members of the frame 10. The

end of the material space aroundthe trunk 60 is closed by an(unperforated) sheet metal Wall 14, secured (riveted) to other flangesof the frame 10. As shown in Fig. II, there may be a frusto-conical hood15 secured (riveted) to the drum wall 14 at its outer edge, and closelysurrounding the end of the conduit 31 at its inner edge,--to preventdispersion of air or gas from the conduit into the casing l0 around thedrum II. The other end of the drum H embodies a structure 18 similar tothe frame 10, but having its center closed and connected to its hub by asolid web 19,-instead of the spider 1|. The corresponding end of thespace around the trunk 60 is closed by the doors 65 and by a sheet metalouter frame or inward-extending flange 80 against which they close, andwhich covers the space between the outturned extensions 62 of the trunksides 5|.

In the use of the apparatus, the materials, or articles to be treatedare loadedinto the space of the drum ll around the trunk 50 through thedoors 65, 66, which are then closed. Treating liquid is then admitted tothe casing l0 through the valved pipe line 34, preferably so as to fillthe casing about half full or even more, and the valve 34 is closed. Thedrum II with its charge of the materials is slowly revolved in theliquid in the casing l0 until the materials are thoroughly saturated.For this purpose, the drum II may at this stage either revolvecontinuously in one direction, or may oscillate or revolve in oppositedirections alternately, as already mentioned. Then the valves in thepipe line 35 are opened for drainage of the treating liquid from theapparatus. For certain treatments the drum II is revolved at relativelyhigh speed to centrifuge the materials and free them of the treatingliquid. For other treatments, 9. lower speed will be used, so as toexpel from the materials only the excess of liquid, leaving in them adefinite amount of liquid as may be required.

The treatment with liquid and the centrifuging having been completed,heated or chilled air may be circulated through the apparatus 9. The airthus passed through the apparatus 9 evaporates. Or it takes up themoisture remaining in the materials and carries it through the exhaustducts 40 or cools the material. In certain treatments, in lieu of air,other gas or gases may be used in the apparatus.

When treating or processing of the materials has been completed, thedoors 65, 86 may be opened and the treated materials removed andreplaced with other materials to be treated.

While the materials are being treated with liquid in the apparatus 9,the foraminous drum I l with its foraminous-walled pockets formed by thesepta 6| acts to move the materials through the liquid very much like alaundry washer. The foraminous walls of drum I l and of partitions andsepta BI, 62 allow a free flow of the liquid in and out of the pocketsand also circumferentially between the inner and outer drums, frompocket to pocket, passing through the material in every direction.During the subsequent centrifuging, the centrifugal force expels thesuperfluous liquid substantially radially through the appertures of theperipheral wall of the drum l I, so that it collects and runs down inthe casing Hi to be drained away through the pipe 35.

When air or other gas is being passed through the apparatus 9 via theconduits 31 and 40, to dry, cool or otherwise affect the materials, itflows lengthwise through the trunk or conduit 50 and passes outwardacross the surrounding material space in the drum il, through the outerdrum wall, and'intothe annular space in the casing i0 around the drumII, where it flows upward to the discharge conduits 40. The course ofthe air or gas from the trunk 60 to the conduits 40 is approximatelyindicated by the arrows in Fig. III. From these it will be seen thatwhile the air or gas from the top of the conduit 60 tends to pass almoststraight upward to the outlets in the top of the casing ID, the courseof the air or gas from the lower portion or sides of the conduit 60 issomewhat different: viz., it passes first outward and downward, and thentends to bend upwards as it approaches the periphery of the drum ll. Asthe upward draft toward the outlets is substantially unaffected by therevolution of the drum II, this flow of the air or gas remainsapproximately the same as the drum revolves. Hence the air or gas passesthrough the materials in a different direction in each of the materialpockets around the air trunk 60. It will also be observed from Fig. IIIthat with the outward extensions 52 of the trunk sides 6| foraminous orperforated as shown; the air or gas flows outward from the corners ofthe polygonal trunk 60 through the hollow foraminous-walled septa.formed by the partition extensions 62, and diverges into the outercorners of the material pockets, which thus receive an ample supply ofair or gas. In a word, the air or gas is not only distributed veryevenly to the materials all around the air trunk 60, in all positions ofthe drum Ii, but is caused to pass through the materials in all sorts ofdifferent directions as they travel around the trunk 50 with therevolution of the ,drum. Thus very uniform and rapid processing of thematerials is secured.

Fig. IV illustrates a variation of the air or gas flow as represented inFigs. II and III, consisting principally in the provision of doubleconduit connections 31x, 31a: to the apparatus 8:, at each end of itscasing In. These connections 31x, 31:: may be used either concurrently,or alternatively; or if desired, they may be periodically interchangedin use during each treating cycle of operation of the apparatus. Asshown in Fig. IV, there are annular conical deflectors 85 around bothends of the shaft l2, to assist in throwing the air or gas outward intoeach end of the space for the material being treated. These areespecially useful when only one of the supply connections 3111:, 31mis-used, to prevent the air or gas from blowing through one .end of theconduit 60m before it begins to spread outward and pass through theconduit walls into the material space.

Fig. V shows another variation in the construction and arrangement ofthe apparatus. Here the central longitudinal air trunk 60y is circular,and the conduit connections 3111;, 31-1! extend through the ends of thecasing l0 eccentric to its axis l2, instead of around the latter as inFigs. I-IV. Instead of having septa 62 extend all the way across thematerial space between the air trunk 60 and the peripheral wall of theshell ll, longitudinal ridges or vanes 62;! extend inward fromthe'peripheral shell wall at suitable intervals around the trunk Elly,only part of the radial distance across the material space. These ridges62y serve as lifting lugs to carry up and drop the materials during thewashing and drying cycles, and also divide the space into distinctmaterial pockets. This arrangement assures revolution of the materialswith the shell ll, while at the same time allowing somewhat freercirculation of the air or gas through them, and even some movement andshifting of the revolving materials under the influence of gravity.

Figs. VII and VIII show a somewhat simpler apparatus, approximately onlyhalf as long as those of Figs. I-VI. Here the central air or gas trunkis omitted altogether. The shell 2 receives air or gas from the conduit312 very much as in Figs. I, II, IV, through the midst of its lefthandend wall, and the air or gas passes upward and outward through theforaminous peripheral wall of the shell Hz. As shown in Fig. VIII, thelatter has inward extending ridges or vanes 62;: which define thematerial pockets, as shown in Fig. V. From the casing lllz, the air orgas may be discharged tangentially through a lateral outlet Mle adjacentits end opposite the conduit 312, here shown as extending verticallyupward. The materials may be introduced and withdrawn from the rotaryshell llz through a central circular door 662 in the opposite end wallof the casing and a corresponding circular door 652 in the adjacent endwall of the shell Hz. As shown, the inner door 652 is attached to theouter door 662 so that it can be swung outward with the latter on itshinge 86. The peripheral edges of both doors are bevelled, and those ofthe inner door 652 lie in close proximity to the edge of thecorresponding circular opening in the revolving shell Hz. In thisinstance, the revolving shell Hz is overhung, its shaft axis I22 beingmounted in an extended bearing I32 outside the casing lllz and airconduit 31s.

It will be understood, of course, that in practice the air or gas flowthrough the apparatus 9 might be reversed as compared with Fig. I: i.e., air might be admitted to the apparatus at 40, 40 or at 401:, 40:: orat By, 4011/, or at 402, and discharged from the apparatus at 31, 31.2,31y, 312:. Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. Treatingapparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain treating liquid; arotary drumin said casing having a foraminous peripheral wall perviousto the liquid; foraminous partitions forming hollow foraminous-walledsepta in said drum, with intervening work pockets between said septa,and with direct passage for the liquid through said septa from pocket topocket; and means for passing air or gas through said casing and saidwork pockets of said drum, via said hollow foraminous-walled septa andthe peripheral wall openings of the drum, said means including conduitmeans for air communicating with the interiors of said hollow septa.

2. Treating apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain treatingliquid; a rotary drum in said casing having a foraminous peripheral wallpervious to the liquid; foraminous partitions defining a plurality ofwork pockets in the drum and forming hollow foraminous-walled septaseparating said pockets, with direct passage for the liquid through saidsepta from pocket to pocket,

and conduit means interconnecting the inner ends of said septa in themidst of the drum; and means for passing air or gas through said casingand said work pockets, via said conduit means and foraminous-walledsepta and the peripheral wall openings of the drum.

3. Treating apparatus comprising a casing adapted to contain treatingliquid; a rotary outer drum in said casing having a foraminousperipheral wall pervious to the liquid; a foraminous inner air or gasdrum or trunk in said outer drum; hollow foraminous-walled septainternally communicating with the trunk and connecting it to the outerdrum walls, and forming a plurality drum in said casing having aforaminous periph-' eral wall pervious to the liquid; a foraminous innerair or gas drum or trunk mounted in said outer drum, with interspacebetween said outer drum and said trunk for materials to be treated, andwith passage for liquid circumferentially around said trunk in saidinterspace; deflecting means in said trunk presenting diagonal surfaceto longitudinal or radial air or gas flow therein,

for deflecting such flow; and means for passing air or gas through saidcasing and said interspace of said drum, longitudinally of the trunk andradially across the interspace, through the foraminous drum and trunkwalls.

WALTER W. SIBSON, Ja.

